Tag Archives: Stan Barnes

The tone for this year’s legislative session was set when Senate President Andy Biggs and House Speaker David Gowan stood with Gov. Doug Ducey as he introduced his budget in January, observed political consultant Stan Barnes.

Now that Doug Ducey has secured the Republican nomination for governor, many politicos speak of his primary win as a forgone conclusion.<br.The state treasurer and former Cold Stone Creamery CEO locked up support from a broad coalition of GOP supporters early, out-fundraised his opponents, put millions of dollars of his money into his campaign when it mattered most and was able to withstand a massive negative advertising campaign against him.

Gov. Jan Brewer’s agenda in her final regular legislative session lacked the blockbuster policies, drag-out fights and frayed nerves of 2013. Instead, the governor proposed a far more modest agenda in 2014. Relatively small spending increases in a few key areas, two low-profile economic development bills and legislation strengthening the state’s human trafficking laws were among the biggest policies she pursued.

While Brewer boasted of Arizona’s economic turnaround of the past few years and the attention the state has received nationally for its improved business climate, the governor said Arizona’s work is not done.

On the surface, all appeared well among Democrats in the Senate.
The 13-member minority caucus had a common cause to unite around in Medicaid expansion during the 2013 legislative session and was able to form a new majority in the Senate chamber by joining forces with a few breakaway Republican lawmakers.

So-called hell week, the annual spate of fundraisers before the start of the legislative session, may get more hellish for lobbyists because of new campaign finance rules that allow contributors to give far more money.

Hell week might be getting a lot more hellish. And perhaps the biggest losers in Arizona’s new campaign finance limits, signed into law yesterday, are lobbyists. “I burned a candle in sadness at the limits that protected my bank account that are now gone. We’re going to have to create a new term. Hell week is going to have to have a new amped-up label,” joked lobbyist Stan Barnes, a prolific contributor to candidate campaigns.